Electric resistance furnace



1,472,137 T. A. REID ELECTRIC RESISTANCE FURNACE Oct. 30, 1923.

f i 1 ed June 15. 1921 WITNESSES: lNVENTQR kiwzwfliezki f 4 WM W Patented Oct. 30, 1923.

UNITED STATES 1,472,137 PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS A. REID, F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA. I

ELECTRIC RESISTANCE FURNACE.

Application filed June 15, 1921. Serial No. 477,623.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS A. Run), a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Electric Resistance Furnaces, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electric furnaces and particularly to electric-resistance furfiaccs, and it has for its object to provide a relatively simple and easily installed resistor-supporting means.

In practicing my invention, I provide a plurality of flat refractory members having tongue-and-groove edges adapted to interfit with each other and having also a pinrality of integral projections on one surface. The plates are so combined as to form a substantially self-supportingarch which located in the furnace chamber. A plurality of arches so formed are located in spaced apartrelation, anda metallic resistor member of relatively large cross-sectional area, so formed as to comprise a plurality of parallel extending endconnected convolutiqns, is supported adjacent the furnace-chamber walls by the said arches.

In the single sheet of drawings,

Figure 1 is a view, in lateral vertical cross-section, of an electric furnace comprising the device embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a view, in vertical longitudinal section on the line IIII of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view, in side elevation, of a single resistorsupportingl plate embodying my invention, with a portion of, the resistor element in its operative position, and

Fig. 4 is a view, in side-elevation, of the parts illustrated in Fig. 3.

An electric-resistancefurnace 5 comprises, in general, a suitable metal casing 6 provided with suitable supporting members 7.

A lining 8, surrounding the furnace cha bcr 9, comprises a plurality of suitably shaped bricks or blocks of any sultable refractory material usually employed in electric furnaces. While only a single-layer lining is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, it is to be understood that this lining may have any desired or necessary number of layers" t t vely to each other and in to accomplish the purpose desired.

At the bottom of the furnace chamber 9 is located a plurality of resistor-supporting members 10 which are substantially the 'ing a oooperating groove therein.

tory resistor-supporting members 127cm provided, one thickened edge having a tongue and an opposite thickened edge hav- A plurality of alined integral projections 13 are located on one surface of the plates 12. The plates 12 may be relatively narrow and elongated, and the tongue and groove edges may be so arranged as to permit of combining a plurality of members 12 to form a comp e arch inside of the furnace chamber, sub stantially as illustrated in Fig. 1. The surface of the members 12, upon which are located the projections 13, faces the wall, and the projections cooperate with the surface of the wall to maintain a resistor member 14 in its proper operative position in the furnace chamber. The resistor 14 comprises a metallic bar, Wire or rod of relatively large cross-sectional area and is so formed as to consist of a plurality of straight parallel-extending and end-connected convolutions. The built-up arches, each comprising a plurality ofplates 12, are located in spaced apart relat ion'i'n the furnace chamber. substantially as illustrated in Fig. 2,- and the resistor"14, isbf large enough cross-sec- ,tional'area to be substantially selfsupporting -between the successive and adjacent arches.

It may be noted that the device embodying my invention provides a relatively simple and easily manufactured refractory resistor-supporting member, a plurality of which ma. be combined to form a substantially sel -supporting arch in the furnace chamber and to have provision for main-- t'aining the parts ofa cooperating resistor member in proper. operative position relathe furnace chamber.

Various modifications may be made in the device embodying my invention without dete and substantially self-supporting parting from the spirit and scope thereof, and I desire that only such limitations shall be placed thereon as are imposed by the prior art or are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

claim as my invention:

1. An electric furnace comprising a plurality of spaced-apart sets of refractory resistor-supporting plates combined to form substantially self-supporting arches, the plates in each set'having inter-fitting tongueand-groove edges, and directly supporting an electric resistor.

2. An electric furnace comprising a plurality of refractory walls and a plurality of sets of refractory resistor-supporting plates, the plates in each set being combined to form a substantially self-supporting arch independent of said refractory walls, the plates having a plurality of alined integral projections on one surface thereof and in terfitting tongue-and-groove edges.

3. An electric furnace comprising a plurality of spaced-apart sets of relatively nar row refractory resistonsupporting plates combined to form substantially selfs'upporting arches, the plates having a plurality of alined integral projections on the inner surface thereof and intcrlitting tongue-andgroove edges, and a resistor member directly supported by said plates and comprising a plurality of integral end-connected convolutions which are maintained in spaced relation thereon by means of said projections.

4. An electric furnace comprising a plura-lity of sets of interlocking relatively narrow refractory plates combined to form substantially self-supporting arches, each plate having a plurality of alined integral projections on one surface thereof, and a resistor member having a plurality of end-connected parallel-extending convolutions maintained in operative positions, relativel' to each other, by said projections, the \VlC th of said plates being such as to extend over only a relatively small part of said convolutions, the resistor being, substantially self-supporting between said sets of plates.

5. An electric furnace comprising a metallic resistor member having a plurality of paralltd-extending, end-connected convolutions, and a plurality of spaced resistorsupporting arch members, each arch member comprising a plurality of refractory plates having interlitting tongueancbgroove edges and a plurality of alined integral projections on one surface adapted to maintain said coni'olutions in proper operative positions relatively to each other, the resistor being substantially self-supporting between said arch members.

(3. In an electricv furnace, in combination, a plurality of refractory walls defining a furnace chamber, a plurality of sets of relatively narrow resistor-supporting members, the members of each set being interlocked with each other to constitute self-supporting arches substantially independent of said refractor walls, and a relatively heavy resistor member supported by said sets of refractory members and being substantially SQlf-SHPPOI'ElDg therebctween and therebcyoml.

In. testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 3rd day of June 1921.

TllOlilALS A REID. 

